A fellow foodie recommended Jerkup Central and I had never heard of it before so I had to investigate. They are located in a small industrial plaza on Brimley, north of Sheppard. They have seating for less than 20 diners, with most of their business being takeout and catering. Looking past the service counter reveals a huge kitchen plus another area where they smoke the foods. The back of house space looks to be easily four to five times large than the front of house. What makes this place different from most Jamaican/Caribbean restaurants is their claim to offer healthier choices. To support this claim, they make all their own seasonings, with a lower salt content and all natural ingredients. Their marinades are bottled and available for purchase at the counter. They use chickens that are grain fed and locally grown. Their daily menu offers Jerk Chicken, Jerk Pork, BBQ Chicken, Stew Chicken, Curry Chicken, and Fish. The fish has to be ordered two hours in advance. Weekly specials include a different soup every day, Curry Goat on Wednesdays, Cow Foot on Thursdays, and Oxtail on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays only. My companion and I ordered small plates of Jerk Pork, Oxtail, and Stew Chicken in order to sample a few dishes. They were all served with Rice & Peas and a Veggie Medley (steamed). Our plates arrived with generous portions of rice & peas and veggies and a decent amount of proteins (for small orders). The jerk pork looked good, with a nice smoke ring around the edges. It tasted okay but it was dry and the seasoning hadn't penetrated the meat as much as the smoke. They probably used a leaner, "healthier" cut of meat instead of a more marbled (fattier) cut. Some gravy would have probably improved this dish (for me). The stew chicken, with an ample amount of gravy, was also okay and appeared to be all skinless dark meat. The oxtail was our favourite dish. It was the most flavourful of the three and tender enough to come off the bone easily. Overall, I admire their efforts to offer healthier cooking but I would have to describe the taste as average. I've had better and I've had worse but I don't know if I've had healthier (from a Caribbean restaurant). The service was friendly. read more

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I ordered the large jerk pork. Not too spicy but the heat is present. Generous serving of tender juicy pork (and not charred!). There is a nice subtle smoke flavour imparted on pork. Rice and beans solid and not buried in sauce. I very much welcome the side of vegetables (it's in line with their more nutritious take on Jamaican cookin'). The gentleman that served me (maybe the owner) was very friendly and super chill. His demeanour and the music playing gave the whole place Island relaxin' vibes. Daily specials - check the website out (prices may be old). read more

Jerkup Central - Large Jerk pork with rice and beans and vegetables. - Caribbean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Located just north of Shepard Ave. E on Brimley Rd, there is only one entry point to this place. It is just across the street from St. Bartholomew Church, Sir Alexander Mackenzie Sr. Public School, and Agincourt Collegiate Institute, so this would be a great lunch spots for church service, students, and locals. I was introduced to this place by one of my now ex-coworkers, who would often praised about the food here and I now know that I have been seriously missing out on some really good Caribbean food! Best stewed fish I have ever had for takeout! For only $16.99 you get an entire fish with head and tail, fully seasoned with rice, peas, and a medley of vegetables on the side. You must order at least 2 hours in advance by phone or online, but the wait was definitely worth it! The food here is sizeable, tasty, and super filling! It took me 2 sittings in order to completely finish everything, properly. It was incredibly satisfying and now it is my new local spot for stewed fish! It was a bit spicy, but I rather eat something that has a full body flavour than something milder but dry and bland. The sauce that the fish was stewed in made it so tender, aromatic and moist!! Highly recommend this place and I cannot wait to go back and order takeout for my beau as well!! read more

Jerkup Central - Entrance - Caribbean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Not the usual Jamaican eatery. You will not find cornbread festival, cakes and the like. This is the first Jamaican restaurant that I left full yet feeling light and energetic. It is a niche restaurant specializing with healthy choice of food and quality ingredients. My friend and I ordered Ox tail, Jerk Pork and Stew chicken. Sides dish were mixed vegetables and rice and peas. I will leave the details to my friend Chris C (Yummmto on instagram). Check out his post on Yelp. read more

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Wow! What a fantastic meal! I have not had a jerk pork like this in a very long time. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Jamaican restaurant on this side of town. I've eaten a lot of Jamaican food in my lifetime, but it got tougher once I had to go gluten free. Having been spoiled having friends that were top notch Jamaican chefs I can tell you that this food is fine. The spicing has got a great heat to it. I like my food spicy, so this was a great match for me. They also sell dry rubs and sauces that you can take home and make your own. The owner is very friendly, and the place is very clean. Service was fast, and knowledge of food and passion for product was extreme. Great for take out, but seating available as well too. You gotta go! read more

Had the $7 lunch special Jerk chicken meal which included a drink, and I also ordered a beef patty on the side to try. The actual jerk chicken was nicely charred while still being moist on the inside. But the rice and peas that the chicken came on top of was slightly undercooked in my opinion, I wished they had put some more sauce on top of it all as it was kind of dry. The beef patty was disappointing, was floppy/not crisp on the outside and had very little beef stuffing on the inside. Maybe I got a bad patty, but it was actually almost empty inside. Overall the only thing i really enjoyed was the chicken, as it was cooked perfectly. read more

Jerkup Central - Caribbean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

If you're looking for Jamaican food cooked in a healthy way, head on over to @jerkupcentral ! I ordered the large jerk pork dinner. I enjoyed the steamed vegetables (different from the typical coleslaw), rice and peas and the tasty, lean jerk pork. I washed it down with my favourite @dandgjamaica pineapple soft drink! I rate it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars because I needed a bit more "jerk". Give me the heat , I can take it lol. #jerkpork #jamaicanfood read more

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Delicious food. The jerk sauce is the best Very clean environment I would definitely recommend this restaurant read more

There was only one guy in the building when we came in, but he was super friendly. We ordered a large jerk chicken and a small, it was really good. There's a small kick in heat, so be careful if you're not used to a bit of spicyness. The price was good, and would definitely recommend coming in for their lunch special. read more

There are many West Indian restaurants out there but what makes this place unique, is its use of healthier ingredients (all natural, no preservatives, etc). I personally crave a nice big serving of oxtail with rice & peas often and now I can have it with less guilt. Same goes poutine. Plus, you gotta love the warm and enthusiastic vibe of the people who work here. Though not on their regular menu (yet), they serve a mean poutine. Like I said, it's more of a guilt-free type poutine with fresh cut fries, fried in coconut oil. I personally only use coconut oil when I cook so I was excited about this. The fries was then topped with some oxtail gravy, mixed veggies (yes, veggies!) and cheese. The cheese wasn't your regular cheese curds, which I personally prefer (if you've read my other reviews, you'd know of my love of dem squeaky cheese). Though the cheese added some nice saltiness to the poutine, it didn't melt well in the middle of the meal. Was basically a blob of hardened warm cheese. Was like eating some Saganaki but on the tougher, chewier side. Perhaps they should have at least shredded the cheese while spreading it more throughout the layers of fries instead of just on top? The mixed veggies which entailed rapini, onions and bell pepper, were also a nice topping. Gave a nice crunch and added a unique flavour. Though I'm not a huge fan of rapini due to its bitterness, the other vegetables helped contrast the flavour so it was really good. Was so good that I ate it all. As for the oxtail gravy, I wish it were a little more on the thicker side. With its runnier texture, the fries became a little too soggy. I did also order oxtail with rice to-go and the oxtail was delicious. Again, I wish the sauce/gravy was thicker, but it was still flavourful. Personally, I love having the sauce/gravy on its own while dipping some fresh fried dumplings (which they unfortunately do not have. Or maybe not yet). I definitely love the idea of having healthier alternatives to classic Jamaican dishes, so I'm definitely going back to this place to try their other menu items. read more

Jerkup Central - Oxtail Poutine - Caribbean Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

New to the scarborough seen is jerkup central Jamaican food. I heard the ad on vibe radio and since it is in the 'hood I hadda check it out. Lemme tell u I was greeted by Easton with a sincere smile which is rare in Jamaican restaurants . Long story short- outstanding food bbq chicken veg medley is not cabbage thank god. Must try jerk pork! Small cost $9.05. Worth it!! read more

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Phenomenal! The owners are so friendly! Had the jerk chicken and veggie combo. Chicken was fall off the bone tender with just the right amount of spice. The veggies were fresh and crunchy. So yum! Will be back for sure! read more

A definite must if you like Jamaician food. We have tried many places but I have to say we stumbled onto this little catering/take out place. The sign is deceiving because it says take out and catering but there are a few tables and if you wish you can take a seat and enjoy real authentic Jamaican food. The first time we went in they were about to close but the owner was so welcoming and we stayed and had some soup and we tried the jerk pork and even though I really do not like pork, this has to be hands down the best jerk pork. The jerk chicken was also very delicious and not salty at all. The owner is very nice and makes you feel welcomed to his restaurant. The next visit we went for curry goat but it was sold out so we had the curry chicken which was very nice and the oxtail was simply delicious. We will definitely go back again. read more

I just ordered the jerk chicken on UE and it was so good! Came with healthy veggies not your typical tasteless frozen carrots and corn others try to pass off as healthy. The chicken was high quality and cooked perfectly and seasoned very well. The portion was more than twice what I got at milestones for almost triple the price. They could learn from you sir! Thanks! read more

Amazing food and amazing service every time! Large portions with great prices makes it a no-brainer to keep coming back for more. I love that I can I indulge without feeling guilty as all their food are hormone and anti-biotic free. Lots of healthy options with great flavour. read more

The best BBQ chicken I have came across in Toronto. The fries are cooked in coconut oil. This was a nice healthy substitute. I came in to order a lunch and ended up taking home dinner as well!! The gentleman that served me name Easton, was Nothing but first class. I will be back (no if, and's or but's) Thank you for the superb Meal!!!! read more

Great spot! Clean inside, clean food, perfect spice level. Good value on the daily specials.

Hidden gem. Great taste, quantity and value. Owner is very friendly. Jerk meal comes with rice and vegetable mix. Soup is very tasty too.

Very responsive to the needs of their customers. I had a last minute request and their team was more than accommodating. They delivered all across the city. The food was awesome. I particularly loved their salad read more